Review: All New Moon Dough

Written on September 14, 2011 by Kevin.

Welcome back Moon Dough. Moon Dough has really become a staple in our house. My wife and I grew up with Play-Do but our kids will have had Moon Dough. Simply put, it doesn't dry out.

Moon Dough has even come up with a new formula. I received a complimentary Breakfast Kit from Moon Dough/Team Mom and the kids ate (pun intended) it right up. I had them sit down at the table and then surprised them with the new set. They showed pure excitement and then proceeded to play for at least 30 minutes which is definitely great in our books. They had a blast making breakfast related items such as toast, waffles and pancakes.

This new Moon Dough now features a better consistency for molding and is less crumbly. Of course it still never dries out. I can certainly confirm this as the kids have a habit of not cleaning up after they are done. They also offer an Ocean Pals, and Snack Shop kit which of course includes the new formula.

Moon Dough is available at stores such as Toys "R" Us, Walmart, Kmart, Amazon.com and even Michaels. I would definitely check out their website (http://www.moondough.com) for additional information.

Review: Dora's Garden Gazebo Mega Bloks

Written on May 23, 2011 by Kevin.

There are some toys that stand the test of time and Mega Bloks are one of those. They continue to adapt to the new generations and their latest creation is the Dora the Explorer line of products. TeamMom provided me the opportunity of checking out the Mega Bloks Dora's Garden Gazebo. As expected my daughter took to this toy quickly. This one is rated at 3+ years so she fits it nicely. These Mega Bloks sets allow for building and rebuilding with years of entertainment. Each set also includes a Dora characters with Build & Dress accessories. This is definitely a winner in my daughter's eyes. She has already asked for additional sets for her upcoming birthday.

The Mega Bloks Dora the Explorer Garden Gazebo retail for about $14.99 at retailers such as KMart, Target, WalMart or online at Amazon.com. I would recommended checking out the Mega Bloks Family Club for a $5 Mega Bloks coupon, fun activities, and more.

SnapSort.com Improvements!

Written on March 21, 2011 by Kevin.

I have been a fan of SnapSort.com for a while now. They are a great souce of information including How-To tutorials and user contributed videos too for those interested in digital photography. They have recently made some changes that include expanding on their videos and their user voting has been touched up. If you are lost and need help comparing cameras, they can be an amazingly helpful resource with their camera reviews.

We have progressed over the years until recently when we purchased our first DSLR camera. Our photos have improved drastically but with the help of websites like SnapSort.com and LensHero.com, we are improving every more quickly.

While I do think they can improve their layouts and design, they content is a great starting point. I would highly recommend checking them out if you are getting into photography like we are.

Review: Raisels - The Fruit Kids Will Love

Written on March 1, 2011 by Kevin.

Welcome the Raisels. A new healthier alternative to pure candy, made by the National Raisin Company. This is a family-owned and operated company now making fruity flavored raisins that actually taste closer to candy than a raisin. They come in four flavors including Sour Apple, Sour Orange, Sour Lemon, Sour Peach with Watermelon coming soon. As for me, I can't pick out which one I like the most. My kids of course loved them all but seemed to scarf down the Sour Peach the first.

As I am writing this posting, I am irritated in myself for forgetting my Raisels at home. These have been my go to treat while at work when you need a burst of sugar and sourness. The small 1.25oz boxes seem to be just the right amount to hold you over until your next meal. While these Raisels do have 23g of sugar per box, but 21g of that is from the actual raisin. These Raisels have no sodium, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners which is an added bonus. Raisels have less added sugar then sweetened dried cranberries and include 100% US RDA Vitamin C.

All in all, these Raisels are great. I think our family can agree that they would work great as a healthier treat after a meal than normal candy. The kids have enjoyed them in their bentos when we head out for a meal. I would highly suggest checking these out of if you are looking for an alternative to your child's sweet tooth. At least they will be getting the antioxidants benefits of raisins.

You can find Raisels at Walgreens, Target (Market Pantry), Dollar General, etc. and on Amazon.com. If you are a Twitter fan, follow Raisels them here and fan their page on Facebook for updates, contests and fun.

Review: TheRealToothFairies.com

Written on November 15, 2010 by Kevin.

Does your daughter know who their real tooth fairy is? Kids have always known that when they lose a tooth, the tooth fairy comes to collect and offer up some money. No one has really known much about this mysterious tooth fairy but TheRealToothFairies.com is changing all of that. In fact, did you know that there is more than one tooth fairy? TheRealToothFairies.com has all of the scoop.

TheRealToothFairies.com was offered to us for review recently and we have spent the past couple of weeks checking it out. You begin the journey in the fairy Royal Castle Towers where you and your child (daughter) take a moment to create a login and customize an avatar. While the customization is thin, it gets the job done. The next step is to take the Royal Quiz which helps match her to their own personal tooth fairy.

A large focus for the site is the Kindness missions which you participate in activities such as giving a flower away, caring for a pet or helping wash the dishes. You earn tickets, ribbons and charms as you record each kindness done. Tickets can be turned in for online rewards and decorations for their personalized space. A kindness kit can be purchased which includes things such as ribbons, charm bracelet, kindness charms and two fairy gift bags. This would work great as an upcoming holiday gift.

TheRealToothFairies.com offers a series of Tooth Fairy related story books which we had fun reading to Kaitlyn. She enjoyed having us read them to her a few times over. These books retail for $19.99 on their website.

Did your daughter know that the real tooth fairies were in a band and had their own music studio? They currently offer 8 magical songs (99 cents per) for your daughter to dance and sing to. You can also check out their music videos, including lyrics, for free. Kaitlyn is a huge fan of catchy music and this definitely was a hit for her. The music videos kept her focused.

Overall, we all were really pleased with what TheRealToothFairies has to offer. It really is the total package when it comes to the tooth fairy. It is a great, safe website for children to go and have tons of fun. While this website is still in its infancy, it provides a lot of entertainment and with its expansion to hands on books and kindness kits, it really gives your daughter something to hold on to. Their kindness missions and magic letters really give your girl something to look forward to and believe in. If I had been searching the Internet and come across this website, it would have definitely peaked my interest. Sure, the VIP account does require a fee but even if you are not interested in that type of thing, the freebies are plenty. This site is definitely geared towards little girls but poking around and you will see mention of a Boys website as well. Unfortunately it is not up at this time. I am certain it will have as many great things as this one does.

TheRealToothFairies has offered a great prize pack valued at $75 which includes all the necessities to get a jump start in the magic world known as TheRealToothFairies.com. To enter, head over to TheRealToothFairies.com and let us know which Fairy your daughter got paired up with. I will close the giveaway at the end of Friday the 19th. Good luck!

Review: Clic-it Diaper Bag System

Written on November 14, 2010 by Kevin.

This diaper bag is great!

My wife is not one to get too excited about any of the items that we receive to review (thats mine and the kids job) but this one definitely changed her. Welcome the Clic-it smart diaper bag system, a way for all mothers (and fathers) to better organize their diaper bags. Instead of having one bag with everything thrown in, you get to choose what parts of the system you want to use on that given day. The Clic-it system allows you to put your accessories exactly where you want them which allows you to always find what you are looking for. The days of looking for a loose pacifier in the bottom of the bag are gone. Here is how it works...

What made my wife so excited about this was her discovery that it attached perfectly to our double wide stroller. She can securely keep it where she needs it and be able to insulate Kaitlyn's Epipen so that it doesn't become unusable. Gone are the days where we had to reach down under the stroller to grab small stuff like water bottles, Epipen or keys.

Without a doubt this has to be one of the best diaper bags currently on the market. They call it a diaper bag system and that couldn't be more spot on. It really does provide something for everyone and maybe best of all, its not super feminine. Dads won't have to be looking over their shoulder when they wear this one.

Thanks Team Mom and Clic-It for providing this review opportunity. You definitely made a big fan out of both of us.

Clic-It is kicking off their "Gearing Up for Baby" contest from November 15 - December 24. Log onto www.clicitbag.com for details on how to enter for a chance to win a prize pack including a new Clic-It diaper bag and accessory assortment (retail value: $117.00).

Review: Shox Scooter & Shred Sled

Written on October 14, 2010 by Kevin.

Another top notch product review thanks to TeamMom. This has been a great month of reviews. This time around we have two reviews, one of which I got to sample.

Shox Scooter:
We have recently thought about buying the kids scooters for Christmas this year. We were thrilled to be offered the Shox Scooter for Rylan. This scooter is rated at 5+ years old. We opened this item for Rylan and excited him when we took it outside. This is the first active shock absorber scooter and Rylan loved it. This is is a great scooter that will grow with the kids rather than be pushed aside. This item has 3 handle adjustment and plenty of rough grip on the deck to ensure stability. The first ever shock absorber scooter allows for "bigger, better and more gravity defying tricks." Sure Rylan is not old enough for tricks just yet but at this point, just staying on is a trick in itself. Like most other scooters, this one folds up so that it's not taking up your entire closet. I don't know if Rylan would let me put it in the closet anyways. Rylan is still raving about this and it may trump any of his Christmas gifts in his mind. This retails for $59.99 and I suggest you find a retailer by visiting ShredSled.com.

Shred Sled:
I think this is one of the first reviews that I didn't have help from the kids. The Shred Sled is rated at 8+ year olds so I took the reigns on this one. First opinion was simply.. how in the world does this work? Sure there are instructions but trying to grip your mind around it is difficult in itself. It took me, a29 year old, about an hour to get it going in a straight path. This is definitely a looker of a product and as I am cruising down the sidewalk I get a lot of stares. Maybe that is because it's not everyday you see a father on a children's toy. Ultimately this is a rock solid product. It has gone through a battery of testing, learning and crashes. I would however be interested to see how an 8 year old would be able to ride this. I just can't see it turning out well. For now, I get to stroll around with Rylan while he rides the scooter. Don't be deterred, this is definitely a great product that I can definitely recommend to anyone looking for something more than a basic scooter. Anyone with previous experience with snowboard or surfing will definitely pick up on this more quickly. For more information take a look at ShredSled.com, including how-to videos. This retails for $59.99 and is available nationwide at retailers or online at ShredSled.com.

* Riders should always wear protective safety gear when using the Shox Scooter or Shred Sled